Even as the debate of outsiders versus insiders rages on, Bangalore is seeing an influx of youngsters from across the country either to pursue higher education, or to make their mark in the IT industry. And accommodating these thousands of young professionals, especially women, are the mushrooming number of PGs in the City. Not all women, however, find it easy to get their perfect home away from home in the City.
While paying guest accommodations are plenty in Bangalore, choosing the right one can be tricky as there are a myriad problems one can encounter — bad accommodations, cramped and dingy rooms, lack of security and bad food. 

Megha Shenoy, a postgraduate student who lives in a PG in Koramangala says that spacious rooms and hygiene are among the first things she looks for.

"Almost everyone is running a PG these days, some even convert their extra bathrooms or kitchens into rooms to earn more money. One has to be careful," she says. "Food too is not always good in PGs. In my PG, while the food is fortunately good, the quantity is very limited," Megha adds.

Priya, who resides in Jayanagar, says that for working women and older students, restrictions are not acceptable. "For reasons of security, we inform the owners if we are going to be late. But a time restriction should not be there," she says.

Keertana, who also resides in Koramangala, feels that living in a PG can be a horror if you don't get along with your room-mates or owners. "In my previous PG, the owners lived on the ground floor. We would constantly get stuck in their marital fights, which was a major put off," she says. Among other things, security features high on Keertana's list. 

Not all PGs are above board in their dealings as well. What they advertise is not what you always get. "My friend and I were shown a brand new PG, where we were about to shift. Later, we were told that we would have to share the room with six other girls," informs Megha.

Recently, there was case of a woman committing bank fraud by opening bank accounts and creating fake documents in the names of women who stayed in her hostel.

All said and done though, there's no denying that paying guest accommodations are the easiest means for leading a hassle-free life in the City for many women.

Official speak

Bipin Gopalkrishna, Additional Commissioner of Police, Law and Order says it would be impossible for the police to monitor the security of PGs, unless they received specific complaints.

"PGs are coming up in every corner of the City. More than one lakh PGs are functional in the City. Women looking out for accommodations have to take their own precautions before opting for a PG.'' 

* Going the tried and tested way is the best ways to find a PG.
Always go by recommendations of people you know, who may have used a particular PG.

Safety measures

* Avoid PGs, where strange activities or business seem to go on. 
* Avoid PGs that have cropped up in unfamiliar and far off areas, or haven't been used by too many people before.